Cannabis Industry Power Players

Neil M. Kaufman, the managing member of Kaufman McGowan PLLC, Corporate & Securities Counsel to the Cannabis Industry™ is one of the leading corporate cannabis lawyers in New York and the USA. He has participated in over $2 billion of cannabis-industry transactions. He combines 37 years of securities law and seven years of cannabis industry experience. Mr. Kaufman represents several of the largest California-based cannabis companies and leading investment funds and investment banks in their corporate, securities, financing, borrowing, merger & acquisition, contract, licensing and other legal matters.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
Large, but not as strong as it could be.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
I always believed in the plant, and now it’s a growth industry.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
Cannabis is the crop on which America was built.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
Lifting weights and HIITs.

Nhi Kha is the co-founder and CEO of Sativa Remedy, a hemp dispensary in Tonawanda, New York. She launched Sativa Remedy after graduating from the University of Buffalo with a dual bachelor’s in Chemistry and Health and Human Services. Nhi helps to educate and guide the community so they can better understand the therapeutic benefits found in the cannabis plant, while providing a curated selection of vetted and tested hemp products. Nhi hopes to expand Sativa Remedy into cannabis retail when she can!

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
I’m hoping to see a thriving craft cannabis industry built on innovation, sustainability, inclusion, and diversity. I also hope cannabis becomes more affordable and accessible to all.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
I witnessed cannabis plant medicine improve my dad’s quality of life as he was battling lung cancer! I was inspired to join this industry to educate and reconnect my community with the healing benefits of cannabis.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
Cannabis is one of the most versatile forms of plant medicine! This is because cannabis plants are made up of so many components, like THC/CBD/CBG or terpenes, that drive its effects. One product might be good for anxiety relief; another good for sleep!

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
I value the benefits of both high-CBD and high-THC cannabis products. During the daytime, I lean on hemp CBD flowers and edibles to keep me focused and energized. After work, I’ll use a higher THC product to unwind and ease my body and mind.

Nick Kingsbury is a New York attorney and currently serves as Wolf Venture Capital Holdings’ director of regulatory affairs and quality. In this role, Mr. Kingsbury provides critical guidance on cannabis regulation compliance, including the packaging and labeling of products as well as issues involving the FDA and the DEA. Before turning to cannabis regulation, he developed his expertise by working in the pharmaceutical industry. Mr. Kingsbury also belongs to the International Cannabis Bar Association.

Lizzie Kirshenbaum is the associate director of East Coast government relations for Weedmaps, the technology company powering the legal cannabis industry. She drives state and local legalization efforts, develops sensible cannabis policy initiatives, and fosters progressive social equity programs throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and the New England states. Prior to joining Weedmaps she was a member of the public policy team at Airbnb. A graduate of Bucknell University and a life-long New Yorker, she currently resides in Brooklyn.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
My crystal ball is showing an industry that is robust, thriving, safe, fair and diverse. I don’t think I am being overly optimistic when I say that New York will be a world leader in the cannabis industry. I know that’s tough for some people to envision right now, since we just legalized adult-use cannabis a few months ago. But Governor Hochul appointed a solid team at the Office of Cannabis Management and the Cannabis Control Board. They are currently writing the state’s rules and regulations for the new industry. The bureaucracy has to be created before retail sales can begin. I know that wait can be frustrating, but I’m feeling confident that Albany will use the time to get it right.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
I am obsessively curious, passionate about social justice issues, and a bona fide policy wonk.  The cannabis industry hits all the sweet spots for me. Cannabis policy is about as complex and multi-faceted as it gets: health care, civil rights, public safety, tax policy, education, job creation, economic development, real estate, advertising…I could go on and on and on. Transitioning a longstanding illicit industry into a legal one is a challenge that requires creativity and ingenuity. I knew the work would be fascinating. How could I pass it up?

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
Did you know that in 1977, country singer Wllie Nelson smoked a “fat Austin torpedo” on the roof of the White House with President Carter’s son, Chip? In his 1988 autobiography, Nelson said a White House domestic worker brought him up to the roof to smoke. But in a 2020 interview President Carter revealed that it was actually his son on the roof with Willie.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
My dad was an accomplished track and field athlete and an enthusiastic marathoner. I inherited my love of running from him. I’ve found it to be particularly cathartic these past 18 or so months. Running forced me out of the house and into the fresh air.

Benjamin Kraim is the founder and creative director of Dumpling House Media and WeedFeed. His expertise ranges from digital media and brand development to content strategy and production. After 10 years designing and distributing products like Pokemon onesies for Gamestop, wellness products for Bed Bath and Beyond, and tech accessories for Forever 21, it was time for a professional shift to digital, social, content, brands and everything that is Dumpling House Media. Ben studied digital media and international business in New York City, Shanghai and Costa Rica.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
It will be the strongest community of consumers and trendsetters in the country.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
My love for the plant and a gap in the market.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
Unlike most, it keeps me awake rather than making me tired.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
By consuming cannabis and going to therapy.

In addition to being co-founder and partner of Feuerstein Kulick, Mitch Kulick also leads the firm’s cannabis practice and represents a number of domestic and international clients in the cannabis industry. With both state regulatory and commercial cannabis experience, Mr. Kulick is well positioned to advise clients on every aspect of cannabis law. He has shared his expertise at seminar talks and industry events, and is a founding member of the International Cannabis Standards Board.

Bertha Lewis has been an activist and community organizer for over 25 years, advocating for immigrant rights, low-wage workers, affordable housing, and women- and minority-owned businesses. Ms. Lewis previously worked as the CEO and chief organizer of ACORN, a national organization working within urban communities. She is the founder and president of The Black Institute, which seeks to represent the perspective of Black people in the formation of public policy.